A Publication of the Nation al Alliance for Direct Support ...

Workforce Development Frontline Initiative

A Publication of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals

FroInnittialtiinvee Volume 7 ? Number 1 ? 2006

Together, We Can Make a Difference

Join the NADSP

What's Inside

Frontline Notes 2

NADSP Member Organizations/State Contacts 4

The Real Scoop 6

Frontline Story: Alliance for Full Participation Unites Many Disability

Organizations in Shared Vision 7

Stories from DSPs at the Alliance for Full Participation 8

State-of-the-Art Definition: Direct Support Workforce Development 9

Training Frontline Supervisors Improves Recruitment and Retention of DSPs 10

CMS Announces the National Direct Service Workforce Resource Center 12

Poem: My Friend Charlie 12

Alliance for Full Participation: Validation and Respect for DSPs 13

Frontline Resources 14

In early 2005, the National Alliance for

Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) was incorporated as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization. The completion of this process mobilizes everyone who believes in the mission and goals of NADSP and wants to be a part of the movement toward a professionally trained and fairly compensated direct support workforce. As part of this effort, we are asking you, our FI readers, to become charter members of NADSP.

How do I join?

It's easy to join NADSP! Just fill out the membership form (see page 5) and submit it along with a check or money order payable to NADSP. Your membership fee is based on the type of work you do and your connection to DSPs.

Why are there different membership categories?

NADSP is committed to having as leaders the people we support and those who assist them most closely in achieving their life goals. The membership categories let

us know who is a selfadvocate, a DSP, a family member, and/or other professional and how best to include them in

Continued on page 15

By joining the NADSP, you become part of a network of individuals and groups committed to making selfdirected lives a reality for people with disabilities.

FrNonottelsine

Editorial

Information

Editor ? Nancy McCulloh Assistant Editor ? Michelle Trotter Managing Editor ? Amy Hewitt Graphic Design ? Connie Burkhart Web ?

NADSP Board of Directors

Mark Olson, President Arc Greater Twin Cities Diamond Hill Center 4301 Highway 7, Suite 140 Minneapolis, MN 55416-5810 952.920.0855, Fax: 952.920.1480 mar kolson@arcgreater

Cliff Poetz, Vice President People First of Minnesota 2433 5th Ave. S., #212 Minneapolis, MN 55404 612.871.0675

Tony Thomas, Secretary Ohio Affiliate (see page 4)

John Rose, Treasurer Irwin Siegel Agency 25 Lake Louise Marie Road Rock Hill, NY 12775 800.622.8272 2johnrose@

Don Carrick, At-large Missouri Affiliate (see page 4)

Regis Obijiski, At-large New York Affiliate (see page 4)

Marianne Taylor, At-large Massachusetts Affiliate (see page 4)

Contribute to Frontline Initiative

Dear Readers, Moving forward sometimes means looking back. In this issue of Frontline Initiative we will look both backwards and forwards.

First, we look back to the historical Alliance for Full Participation (AFP) Summit held in Washington, DC, September 22?23, 2005. AFP stands as a turning point in history and its impact will be felt long into the future. At AFP, Direct Support Professionals (DSPs), self-advocates, family members, support providers, exhibitors, and others came together to speak about important issues. You can read what people said about their experiences at AFP on pages 8, 13, and 16. These stories may inspire you to find out what is happening in your own state to further the Summit's theme -- Many Voices, One Vision.

Another important event in 2005 was the finalization of the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) incorporation as a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization. This allows NADSP to become a tax-exempt membership organization. Our lead story encourages readers to become members and to

get involved regionally to support NADSP's mission.

As we look forward, both AFP and NADSP recognize that one of the major roadblocks to full inclusion and participation for people with disabilities is the availability of caring and competent DSPs. Both AFP and NADSP support and encourage national efforts that help employers find, train, and keep high quality DSPs. These efforts are known as DSP Workforce Development. In this issue you will find articles about some of these efforts to help community human service agencies, individuals, and family employers find and keep good DSPs (See pages 9, 10, and 12).

We hope you find this issue of FI helpful and informative. We encourage you to share story ideas. If you have a story you would like to submit for publication consideration, you can email Frontline Initiative at mccul037@umn.edu.

Until next issue, take care, The Editors

If you are interested in contributing to Frontline Initiative, reprinting an article, or becoming an editorial board member, please contact --

Frontline Initiative Editor P.O. Box 13315 Minneapolis, MN 55414 Tel. 612.624.0060 Fax: 612.625.6619 email: mccul037@umn.edu

Frontline Initiative is supported through a cooperative agreement between the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, U.S. Department of Education (#H133B980047) and the Research and Training Center on Community Living (RTC) at the Institute on Community Integration, University of Minnesota. The opinions expressed are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the RTC, Institute, University of Minnesota, or their funding sources.

Frontline Initiative is available in alternate formats upon request.

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Frontline Notes

From Christmas in Purgatory: A Photographic Essay on Mental Retardation by Burton Blatt and Fred Kaplan (1974)

We've come a long way from how it used to be -- when the warehousing of people

with disabilities was painfully routine.

Today, Direct Support Professionals enable our most vulnerable citizens to live self-directed lives with dignity and pride. You are the everyday heroes who help people

with disabilities realize their dreams and enjoy the daily liberties and human rights that the rest of us take for granted.

Together, we can make a world of difference.

Join the National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals.



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NADSP Member Organizations

and State Contacts

NADSP Board & State Affiliates

NADSP Supporting Organizations

We would like to acknowledge the following NADSP Supporting Organizations for their generosity and ongoing dedication to the goals and mission of NADSP.

? ANCOR ? Anne Grady Corporation ? Arc Northern Chesapeake Region ? Association of Group Homes for Nodaway

County, Missouri ? Community Advantage ? Crystal Run Village, Inc. ? Direct Support Professionals of Missouri ? Direct Support Professional Association

of Tennessee (DSPAT) ? Irwin Siegel Agency ? Laura Baker Services Association ? MCStrategies, Inc./College of Direct Support ? Melwood ? MidHudson Coalition ? Rise, Inc. ? Special People in Northeast, Inc. ? Welcome House

Start a NADSP state affiliate in your area now!

For more information, contact Don Carrick, NADSP State Affiliate Coordinator, at 660.582.7113 or dcarrick@, or visit the NADSP Web site at



NADSP State Affiliates

Arizona Michelle Noe Practical Training Solutions, LLC 8100 E. Indian School Rd., Suite #7W Scottsdale, AZ 85251 480.945.2930 michelle@

Arkansas Vanessa Smith Partners for Inclusive Communities 2001 Pershing Circle, Suite 300 North Little Rock, AR 72114 501.526.5962,Toll free: 1.800.342.2923 SmithVanessaL@uams.edu

California Melanie Bazile Strategies to Empower People, Inc. 5945 Palm Dr., Carmichael, CA 95608 916.679.1555 ext. 108, melanieb@

Connecticut Kristine E. Foss Ability Beyond Disability 135 Old State Road, Brookfield, CT 06804 203.775.4700, ext. 0234 kfoss@

Florida Marta Morin Miami Cerebral Palsy Residential Services, Inc. 2200 NW 107 Ave., Miami, FL 33172 305.599.0899, marta.morin@

Georgia Lisa Robinson Georgia Alliance of Direct Support Professionals 615 Roswell St., Suite 110, Marietta, GA 30060 770.499.2172, lrobinson@

Kansas Clarence Walker Creative Community Living of Winfield-Kansas 622 N. Haverhill Road, El Dorado, KS 67042 316.320.7531, semrick@

Louisiana Fabra Cain 474 N. Foster, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 225.924.7998, blaney375@

Nancy Robertson LSUHSC/HDC 1100 Florida Ave. #119, New Orleans, LA 70119 504.942.8289, nrober@lsuhsc.edu

Roni Jo Frazier Evergreen Presbyterian Ministries, Inc. 920 Main St., Pineville, LA 71360 318.483.9922, rfraizer@

Maine Ray Gedat Maine PASA P.O. Box 710, Norway, ME 04268 207.890.0773, rggedat@

Massachusetts Marianne Taylor HSRI/Bristol Community College 777 Eisbree St., Fall River, MA 02720 508.678.2811, mtaylor@bristol.mass.edu

Michigan Michael Bray Developmental Disabilities Institute Wayne State University 4809 Woodward Ave., Suite. 268 Detroit, MI 48202, 313.577.6684 mikebray@wayne.edu

Minnesota Dan Wolfgram (chair) DSP Association of Minnesota (DSPAM) 8782 Ironwood Ave. S. Cottage Grove, MN 55106 651.340.4426, dwolfpak897@

Mississippi Lisa Burck, MPA Arc of Mississippi 4101 Gautier Vancleave Road, Suite 103 Gautier, MS 39552 lisaburck@

Missouri Don Carrick DSPs of Missouri P.O. Box 454, Maryville, MO 64468 660.582.7113, dcarrick@

Marci Whiteman PMB 264, 2977 Hwy K O'Fallon, MO 63366 mcwhiteman@char

Nebraska Mary Lawson P.A.K.S. PO Box 419, Ogallala, NE 69153 308.284.2075, ext. 4469, paksds@

New Hampshire Laura Lassins Lifeshare, Inc. 225 Eddy Road, Manchester, NH 03102 603.625.8825, john@

New Mexico Judith Stevens Community Support Alliance Center for Development and Disabilities Health Sciences Center University of New Mexico 2300 Menaul NE, Albuquerque, NM 87107 505.272.1853, jese@unm.edu

Barbara Iba?ez Community Support Alliance (see above) 505.272.1853, bibanez@unm.edu

New York William Ebenstein Consortium for the Study of Disabilities, CUNY 535 E. 80th St., New York, NY 10021 212.794.5486, wiebb@cunyvm.cuny.edu

Daniele Lymon Heritage Christian Services 349 W. Commercial St., Suite 2795 East Rochester, NY 14445 585.340.2009

Regis Obijiski Mid-Hudson Coalition, Inc. at New Horizons Resources, Inc. 21 Van Wagner Road, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603 845.473.3000 ext 304, robijiski@

Shawn Pike Adirondack Arc 105 Park St., Maline, NY 12953 518.891.6565, shawnpikenadsp@

Ohio Tony Thomas Welcome House 20575 Center Ridge Road, Suite 200 Rocky River, OH 44116 440.356.2330, tthomas@

Tennessee Earl Foxx, Jr. DSP Association of Tennessee (DSPAT) 1161 Murfreesboro Road, Suite 420 Nashville,TN 37217 615.596.5321, efoxxccoinc@

Rick Rader, MD Orange Grove Center 615 Derby Street, Chattanooga,TN 37404 423.493.2936, habctrmd@

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About NADSP

The National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals (NADSP) is an organization for individuals and organizations that are committed to helping people with disabilities achieve their life dreams. We recognize that people needing support are more likely to fulfill their life dreams if they have well-trained, experienced, and motivated people at their side in long-term, stable, compatible support relationships. NADSP, a 501(c)(6) non-profit organization, has developed a national agenda to address these workforce issues and to develop strategies to --

? Enhance the status of DSPs.

? Provide better access to high-quality educational experiences for DSPs.

? Strengthen working relationships and partnerships among consumers, family members, and DSPs.

? Promote system reform, including incentives for education, increased compensation, and access to career pathways.

? Support a national voluntary credentialing process.

Become a Member Today!

? Join a growing national movement to elevate the status of DSPs.

? Learn about national and international successful practices, such as certificate programs, apprenticeships, credit-bearing coursework, and ways to improve agency culture.

? Help educate policymakers and legislators about the importance of high quality human services.

? Learn about and gain access to public forums and conferences on DSP issues.

? Learn how to develop and enhance DSP regional affiliations.

? Develop leadership skills in the field of direct support.

NADSP Membership Form

DSP Membership* $25.00 Please mark one:

DSP DSP (member of a state affiliate of NADSP) Frontline Supervisor

Associate Membership* $25.00 Please mark one:

Self-Advocate Family Member

Other Professional Membership* $40.00

For professionals working in the field of disability services, such as social workers, administrators, and healthcare professionals. Please tell us what your profession is:

_____________________________________________

* DSP Memberships, Associate Memberships, and Other Professional Memberships include one subscription to Frontline Initiative, a Code of Ethics pocket card, and a NADSP membership card.

Agency/Provider Affiliate Membership $200.00

For providers who wish to demonstrate a commitment to supporting the efforts of DSPs. Membership includes a certificate of membership and two subscriptions to Frontline Initiative.

Supporting Organization Membership $500.00

For agencies and organizations dedicated to advancing the interests of DSPs and the people they support at a national level. Membership includes a certificate of membership and four subscriptions to Frontline Initiative. Your organization will also be listed in Frontline Initiative as a supporting organization.

Please make checks payable to NADSP. We are unable to accept credit cards or purchase orders.

Mail membership form to: Research and Training Center on Community Living University of Minnesota 204 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Dr. SE Minneapolis, MN 55455 Phone: 612.624.6328

____________________________________________________________________ Name

____________________________________________________________________ Organization

____________________________________________________________________ Address

____________________________________________________________________

City

State Zip

( ___________ ) _____________ ? ________________ Phone

____________________________________________________________________ Email

Total enclosed $__________________

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